Sunday, 01 March 2015

Pattern from the book "Crochet Adorned" (Linda Permann), which is unbelievably 6 years old. Geesh... where does the time go?

The plan was to use a lovely piece of Nani Iro, but I really didn't have enough and my idea of adding crochet panels down the side didn't work out at all so I dug out an old Toast dress that was badly ripped (I'd caught it in a door handle... doh) and managed to salvage two panels of the right size for this top. I was able to use the hem of the dress too, result!! (I hate hems)

I did the size small and used two balls of Rico Creative Cotton Aran in shade 12, with a 4 1/2mm hook.

Thursday, 26 February 2015

As in Katherine Hepburn. THE Katherine Hepburn. Via Molly Wizenberg of 'Orangette' fame.

The recipe can be found in her delightful book 'Delancey' which in actual fact is a memoir with recipes... more than a recipe book. And it's lovely. The writing is lovely and the recipes are lovely.

I'm pretty sure I'm repeating myself here. I know I talked about it before and I probably raved about this recipe before but it's one of my favourite and it's sooooo quick to make it's definitively worth mentioning again.

It's also produces something that gets eaten very quickly so you might want to consider a double batch. Just saying...

On a slow heat you melt together the chocolate and the butter (gorgeous smell!), then you take it off the heat and add the sugar, then the eggs and the vanilla blending well, then the flour and the salt.

Done.

Well ok it's recommended you put the mixture in a 8"by8" tin and then cook it in a preheated oven (160C) for about 30 minutes. Just check they don't get too dry. I think mine took just under 30 minutes but I then let them in the oven as I was late to pick up No 3.

Monday, 23 February 2015

Ah the irony of me talking about sewing clothes after yesterday's experience at London Fashion Week!

Talking about pretentious and deluded...

Anyway, since we're amongst friends, let's do it.

I've had this pattern: 'Sailor Top' by Fancy Tiger Crafts, for a while (of course..) and let me begin by saying that I love it. Feminine but not too figure hugging and let's face it... it didn't seem too complicated! (I'm a UK10/UK6 and I wear a 36B bra size, my shoulders are quite broad and I do not have a flat stomach. I blame the children for that one). I decided to go for a size S.

For the fabric I chose some NANI IRO scraps left over from two other projects (one a lovely Tova, the other a perfect fail I never showed you) and literally cut the pattern pieces from whatever piece of fabric I could fit it on. Highly scientific.

But it worked.

It sooooooo worked!

The size is perfect. PERFECT. Who knew? (I'm always scared of making stuff that it's too small that I end up having to take stuff in quite a lot...) Maybe I cured my body dysmorphia...

(front)

(back)

The double gauze fabric is gorgeous and feels soft against the skin and it drapes just the right amount... not clingy and not a maternity tent...

What is not totally perfect is the neck band... let's just say it's not always the same width and leave it at that... maybe I did it on purpose, to give it some movement or something... you'll never know!

Now I'd like to make another one... but I'm going to be good and stick to THE LIST.

Friday, 20 February 2015

When you're stupid enough to have scheduled an osteopath appointment really early in the morning during half term you're left with a very very long day ahead of you.

Don't ask me how I know.

First of all ,'the silver lining', it's amazing how long a day is if you start at the crack of dawn, I mean seriously long... and how much you can actually do! I might have just discovered hot water here... Forgive me.

Second, 'the cloud', it's amazing how long a day is if you start at the crack of dawn, I mean seriously long... the most god-awful weather and three grumpy children with cabin fever don't make for a good combination.

Anyway, No 1 chained himself to the computer and I bribed the other two into a baking session by pulling out the food colouring... go and poison yourselves my darling... and clean after you.

They certainly don't do things by half those two!

(We used the basic vanilla cupcake recipe from Magnolia bakery and their vanilla frosting one too. Oh my that frosting was good!!)

Wednesday, 18 February 2015

The WIPs are being ticked fast and furiously... soon I'll have nothing to show you! Can you believe I have ONLY 1 quilt top to quilt (and I have all the necessary stuff for it too) and 2 knitting projects on the go?

Shocking.

And I'm study has been tidied up too. I know, it's too much to comprehend...

Whilst you recover from the news let me show you the latest quilt top, already nabbed by No 2 as you know.

Simple triangles, a bit fiddly and not too exciting by the end I have to admit. I'm still trying to use as much fabric from 'the stash' as possible and although I had to buy a little of extra white, the red is now gone.

As you can see from the back... every little scrap was used.

The recipient has been sleeping with it even though it's not a bed quilt and only 58"x58"... but if you saw the state of his bed you'd understand that it doesn't matter at all...

Now if you'll excuse me I have some mending to do... oh yes, I'm on a roll!

PS: quote of the day. No 1 calls on his mobile (he was under strict instructions only to call in an emergency!!) from Spain... we're suddenly worried... what could have happened? lost? mugged? injured? Oh no.... nothing like that... "mum can I connect to the web on my phone and use it to find a sombrero shop for my mate, he'll refund me later?"

Monday, 16 February 2015

I've had this crochet kit for a couple years... three big rolls of t-shirt yarn in cream with instructions to make a round doily like rug.

Didn't like it. I tried, I really tried but half way through I had to stop... wasn't very nice at all... and then I remembered the black t-shirt yarn I had and BAM! I knew exactly what to do instead...

I used 10mm needles and 2 cones of black 'boodles' t-shirt yarn from Hobbycraft, plus the cream one from the kit I had. So if I had to make another one (tempting... for the boys' bathroom), I'd buy 4 cones of Boodles.

I didn't block it. I daren't thinking how heavy it becomes when wet! Would need a crane to get it out of the sink...

And what did you do this weekend? (I also blew my nose approx. 47 million times... but let's not talk about that... sigh)

Monday, 09 February 2015

As the title says I give you 'Jules', by Brooklyn Tweed, and designed by Julie Hoover. Except it's not by him, it's done by me. Over too many months and with too many mistakes.

By hey... such as life.

Also I'd like to explain that I it was a nightmare to take picture of this by myself. A nightmare. So please bear with me... No I didn't use a selfie stick, I had to remember where on earth I had put my tripod. Not an easy task.

Slightly out of focus... but let's blame it on the fuzz of the yarn ok? (No I'm not showing you my face in this photo, you'll have me certified...)

It's a really gorgeous pattern (no sleeves, kind of batwing-ish), very wearable and well thought through.

(This is my 'is the timer going to work or not' face...)

I started knitting this last April and the back was finished in no time (remember to check the errata page on the website). Then I stalled. And stalled.

And when I picked it up I had completely forgotten all the many things you need to remember every row... so the front (and if HAD to be the front), of course has some wobbles in it... especially the cables (it HAD to be the cables, right?

(I can hear my dad saying : "stand up straight"... can you?)

The back is longer than the front and has a lovely curved edge. Short rows. They're magic. I don't really understand them, but if I follow the pattern to the letter they work out alright.

I have to say it is not a beginners pattern. It's deceptively complicated for something that looks so straight forward in the brochure, but don't let this put you off, the instructions are very very good.

Once I got my head around the reverse stockinette issue (the front of the knitting is the reverse and the reverse is the front... get it?) I was almost there.

Now for the technical part:

Knitted in Brooklyn Tweed Shelter, I used 6 skeins and knit the 2nd size of the pattern. I love the negative ease and length. The pattern recommends using 5mm needles for the main parts and 4 1/2 for the ribbing. I knit really loosely and went down a size with both.

Phew. And that is another WIP whipped into touch, Thank you very much.

Wednesday, 04 February 2015

I don't buy many craft books. Not because I don't like them, I do I do! but I rarely make things out of them... I have this rebellious streaks that makes me allergic to instructions. I like doing things my way.

I do think they're a great source of ideas and occasionally I stumble upon one that makes me stop and think... and whilst I can't promise I will make any of the projects out of it I know that I will go back to this book every once in a while and will be inspired.

The book has a lot of projects which are made using t-shirt yarn, which i love, and you can read more about the author Molla Mills here.

It happened that I had some t-shirt yarns in my stash (I bought mine from Hobbycraft) and a 10mm hook and in no time at all I made a basket:

Tuesday, 27 January 2015

Let's assume you have at least heard of Comic Relief/Red Nose day... yes? (if not please click here or you might be a little confused).

Ok, with me?

Great, WELL, Emma (aka Silverpebble) has come up with this great idea called Comic Relief Crafternoon and teamed up with the team behind Mollie Makes to produce a fantabulous special edition magazine full of exciting crafts idea (132 pages!!).

The magazines will be available to buy from Sainsbury's on Thursday 29th January (make a note, you know you'll only be sorry if you forget!!). The price is £7.90 and a whopping £5.00 for each copy sold will go to Comic Relief. Not bad, eh?

You can also buy it online via ITunes and Google play.

ALSO, and this is for all of you out there who love crafting, it's a special invitation to organize a gorgeous 'crafternoon' on March 13th, to raise money for all these worthy causes in the UK and Africa. And how much fun will it be to craft together with friends or to arrange a mini craft fair to sell all your beautiful things?

So, why am I telling you all this...

Because Emma contacted me a few months back to tell me she'd designed a pattern for a pair of fingerless mittens and would I mind doing a little technical checking... yes, the girl has just learnt to crochet and she's already designing stuff... there's no stopping some people!

Tuesday, 20 January 2015

This is going to be the most useless knitting post ever, so if you want to move on now feel free. I won't be offended.

I finished another hat. And it's really warm and light and fluffy.

BUT:

1) it's impossible to photograph with any degree of success. (What's the trick with black yarn?)

2) I don't really have a pattern for it. I loosely based it on the sockhead pattern from Ravelry, but I stopped the rib part before 4" and then I knitted the second part till I though it would be just about right, decreased and finished off. Highly scientific.

3) Yarn, yes, well... it's... black... ok it's actually is two yarns held together. One is Rowan kidsilk haze and the other one... ahem.. I don't know. It's super soft and very thin and it's been in my stash for ages. I have a feeling it's something quite special. Very very warm and soft. Might even be cashmere... who knows.

I'm quite addicted to hat-knitting this winter. (Two years ago it was socks and last year it was shawls...) but I'm going to seriously try finishing a few half-done projects before starting another one!

In the meantime, me and new black hat are going to walk the dog. Toodles!

Monday, 19 January 2015

Adapted from a recipe from Anna Jones' brilliant book "a modern way to eat"... the original recipe calls for lemon rinds (not in the morning, thank you) and raisins (and you know how I feel about those cheeky little horrible things, right?.

It's basically oats (although I could have done half oats and half quinoa flakes if I hadn't left my shopping list at home on the kitchen counter... ), with nuts, and coconut, and a bunch of seeds and some chopped nuts.

Oh and maple syrup. Although you can use honey if you want to. But I didn't want to. (shhh.... I don't really like honey either... sorry)

Added chopped dates (very chopped, small morcels) for the last 10 minutes and let me tell you.. the house smells AMAZING!

I can't wait to try it tomorrow morning....

I started one of those nothing to 10KM programmes... of course I had to choose the coldest morning of winter so far... I had so many layers on I looked like a Michelin (wo)man. But I did it. Well done me.

Friday, 16 January 2015

This quilt however, has always been 'broken'. When I first started it many months ago a friend of mine was going through a pretty bad patch, her life was spiralling out of control and my 'happy' image of a red and white log cabin quilt went out of the window and this emerge instead.

It felt very cathartic at the time.

Lots of 1 1/2 wide strips in white, black, red and grey. I didn't want the quilting to be in the way but at the same time I wanted it heavily quilted so I matched the threads to the fabric.

Except when I didn't. Because life does throw curve balls at you sometimes.

I'd like to hang it somewhere, but there's not a free wall in this house... and really red and black are not my colours...

If you want more details you can buy the Jan/Feb issue of QUILTY magazine... (sneakpeak here)

Thursday, 15 January 2015

Don't get me wrong, I really enjoyed it. Loved the characters and the setting (I didn't know much about life in Holland during that period, exciting and stifling at the same time... how it was to be a woman rather than a man, religions and morals, very interesting.... just didn't understand too much the whole miniature thing... How important it was for the story...

No? What did you think?

But maybe it's just me.

(I always wanted a proper doll's house when I was a child. My best friend had the most glorious Barbie's three stories villa... maybe now I'd be a bit spooked by them!)

Tuesday, 13 January 2015

I really enjoyed her other books (Gilead and Home), but this is my favourite.

It's a book to savour and read slowly. It leaves images lingering in your minds and you get to know the characters so well.

Try it. You won't be disappointed.

And then from the sublime to the ridiculous... well not really ridiculous, but... you know how I love YA fiction, right? Well, sitting in the car park at home I managed to read 4 novels on my kindle... First love, extra human powers, adventures and travels. What's not to like? (oh and not a vampire in sight. Not this time, but don't diss 'Twilight' to me or we might stop being friends!)

They're all from a British writer called Joss Stirling and although slitghly formula (ahem..) they're also quite well written. Pure escapism. For an adult. I would have loved them 30 years ago!!